Never Let Go
by Takada Saiko
Summary: A simple day of cave exploration turns dangerous for the princes of Asgard when they are caught in a cave-in. Forced deeper into its depths, they might find more adventure than even they would have originally wished for. Pre-Thor. Co-written with Gabrielle Day.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm uncontrollably excited today!It's cold! Well... It's Texas cold, which is all I can really hope for at this point in the year, but it's still some version of cold!

Ahem. So, Avengers came out on DVD and Gabrielle Day and I decided to write young Thor and Loki. This is pre-Thor and they're young in this one... We never decided exactly how young, but maybe early teens? The beautifully awkward age where boys think they're already men and just aren't. It's such a fantastic age to write about, especially with two Asgardian princes.

Enjoy!

**Part One**

* * *

Nothing about this set well. It was not just that the idea for the adventure had fallen from the tongues of Calder and Broder - two distant cousins that he had learned very young never to trust for any length - nor even that it was outside the parameters that the Allfather had set for his two sons. The latter was hardly a worry, as they regularly scooted off to their own devices away from their father's overbearing watch, but what worried the younger prince of Asgard the most was the way that Calder and Broder had presented this little escapade. Few details coupled with a vague bit of mystery all reminded Loki of why he no longer trusted their distant relatives that had grown up in the palace along with them. It usually landed him in more than a little trouble. As he followed Thor down the path he felt another protest bubble in his throat.

"If this is such a good idea, why are our most beloved cousins not joining us on this little venture?" Loki asked. It wouldn't do to sound as if he was not interested in going with Thor, no. The last outright protest had left him stuck in the palace, not knowing that Thor had gone off without him until much later. (And it was a good thing he had found out when he did and shown up when he had, or Asgard would be down one prince permanently, thank you very much.)

Thor laughed and turned his face towards the sun, momentarily closing his eyes as he walked. "Because they've already been. How else would they have told us about it?" he replied. The answer always sounded so simple falling from his lips.

"Not fun enough for two trips, then." Loki muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Loki replied with a smile, adjusting the pack on his shoulder.

"We should crest that hill in a moment and see the deep forest." Thor called.

"Excellent." Loki called back. Nothing could possibly go wrong in a deep forest at the foot of a mountain, no.

"Broder said that the caves should be along to the east," the blond said as he surveyed from the top of the hill. He glanced back at his brother who had trailed behind. Loki had stopped, not looking overly happy in the summer heat. "You could have stayed home, you know," Thor chuckled.

"And leave you to it?" the dark haired prince returned. "Never." He stepped forward, gaze roaming across the land below. It was mostly open fields until one reached the forest, and the caves were meant to be just inside and a little to the east, as Thor had said. He had not heard of them before, and that was another bit that made him uneasy. Loki prided himself on having a vast knowledge of... well, everything. If it was written in a book in his father's library he had probably come across it at least once if not more. Maps were not to be left out, and Thor had encouraged that bit of learning when he realized how useful his brother could be in the matter. Odin might notice a missing scroll from the library, especially one that contained the layout of terrain past their limitations, but he could rarely prove their whereabouts if nothing was missing. Loki's mind seemed a safe enough place for the information.

"Calder said there is a jewel buried deep in the cave, guarded by a dragon. I thought we should fetch it and present it to Mother for her birthday," Thor continued on as they started down.

"There are no dragons in this part of Asgard," his brother shot back.

"Are you calling Calder a liar?"

"Well, have you ever seen one? In person?"

Thor stopped, lips turning down in something that might have been a pout if he had been any younger. "I suppose not."

"I didn't think so. If there were a dragon within a day's walking distance, I think we would have seen it."

Thor thought on that a moment. "He's been sleeping!" he announced suddenly, a grin replacing the disgruntled look and he picked up his pace.

Loki sighed. He had thought that the elder prince might be ready to concede that there was little to back up Calder and Broder's story, but Thor's own restlessness was getting the better of him. It had been his excuse when they had left out and it would remain his excuse until they had poked through every tunnel. "It's not like anything is going on at the palace. What is the harm in taking a look?"

A bored Thor was a dangerous Thor, whether they stayed in the palace or went outside of it, or disobeyed their father and wandered into the lands where the princes were not supposed to go. Thor had stopped listening to the speeches their father gave about the dangers lurking beyond his boundaries after the first eight or nine times they heard it.

"It is a peaceful land! You pride yourself on that. We are princes, no one would dare bring harm to us!" Thor would exclaim.

Loki had a mental bet on how many times Thor could get away with saying that before Odin hit him on the head with his staff. It had not happened yet, but it would be soon, he could feel it.

They were soon lost under the cover of trees, their branches growing so high and so thick that the sunlight was faint and in places could not reach the ground at all. Thor kept his back straight and his shoulders squared, but Loki could tell he was less comfortable. He was quite comfortable, as long as he pretended not to notice the way the shadows curled towards him like he was a beckoning force.

"Not much farther." Thor said.

Loki said nothing, distracted by what he saw on the ground. A grin curved across his lips as he silently picked up a long, thin reed. Thor, too busy surging ahead with confidence failed to notice the sudden lack of his brother's footfalls behind him. Loki crept as close as he dared then reached out and ran the reed along the length of Thor's spine.

Loki could almost see all the hairs on his neck stand on end and burst out laughing when Thor actually left the ground when he jumped in surprise. "Afraid of the scary forest creatures, Thor?" he asked, laughing.

"Loki," Thor growled, "That isn't funny."

"You're right. It isn't funny. It's hysterical."

The sound of a nearby stream was the only thing that saved Loki from Thor chasing him up a tree. "The caves are near the stream, are they not?" he asked, redirecting his brother's attention.

"Yes," Thor grumbled, blue eyes glaring in such a way that swore he would file his grudge away for later. Thankfully his memory was mostly short lived when it came to grudges against his beloved little brother.

They wove around fallen branches that could have been trees until they reached a slope. The ground sluffed off, giving a fair view of the river that fed into the open mouth of a cave. It was old, ancient, and the rocks looked ready to slip from their place at any time. Loki couldn't help but to feel they were losing their advantage if they were to descend down to the opening. There was something ominous about the hole in the earth, as if it were yawning and would eventually close on anyone that dared trespass.

"Look!" Thor called as he scuttled down the slope without a care. He motioned to a dead tree that had been burned. "I told you there was a dragon! Didn't I tell you, Loki?"

The younger prince shook his head and sighed, picking his way down the slippery hill in a much more gentle fashion. "Looks like it was hit by lightning to me."

"I know lightning, Loki. That's not a lightning strike."

"Not fresh, no, but some few hundred years ago, maybe."

"Those are burned marks!"

"Which could have been left by... Oh, never mind." He let out a frustrated sound, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle. "Shall we go in and get this over with?"

"Where's your sense of adventure, little brother?"

"I have one, you know I do, but..." He stopped, something deep in him murmuring that they should leave now. He lay a hand on his brother's shoulder, gaining his attention, and his voice was much lower as he spoke. "Thor, would you listen to me if I told you we should leave?"

"Perhaps I would if you were not always telling me to leave. Get out of bed, Thor. Get out of the kitchen, Thor. Get out of my library, Thor. Get out of the garden, Thor. Get out of trouble, Thor." Thor said, waving his hands to emphasize his point.

Loki frowned. "I most certainly do not."

Thor looked at him.

"Often." Loki amended. "This time I mean it, Thor. Something...something is not right about this. You know lightning, and that's true. I know this feeling and I cannot believe anything good will come of our poking around here. We could go further east, into that little gypsy village. They should be having some sort of festival this time of year. They always have that mead you like."

Had it been the promise of anything less than a dragon and a jewel for their mother, Loki might have won him. He could always redirect Thor with the promise of good wine. However, even the best wine in the world could not trump the adventure a dragon might bring. Thor shook his head. "Perhaps we shall have time to find their caravan after the cave. Come on, Loki, it will be fun."

"If I had a gold coin for every time you said that I'd be richer than the Allfather." Loki pointed out.

"But you've had fun." Thor said with a grin. His smile faltered. "You do have fun, do you not, brother?"

"I...ah...of course, of course I have fun, Thor. It's just that...usually when you have fun it involves very large things with very pointy teeth." His own thought gave him pause. "So you may be right. There just might be a dragon in that cave."

It would be just his luck.

Thor clapped him on the shoulder. He took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of the trees and the stream and the damp earth. He had to crouch ever so slightly to slip past the opening, which he did and was gone into the cave.

Loki moved to follow, forcing his instincts down for the sake of his brother's enjoyment. He couldn't let him go in there alone, could he? He followed, clutching tightly to the bag at his shoulder. It held a bit of food and water that they had managed to snatch from the kitchens. He had also managed a small flask of wine for their own enjoyment, but that had come from his own rooms, not wanting to risk taking it from under the head cook's nose.

The cave was damp with the stream running into it and refreshing from the heat. The water pooled back a ways, nearly too far for the light to have reached. The bottom seemed to drop out of it, and they could not see the bottom even after Loki had cast a spell that produced a small ball of light that floated helpfully above their heads. It illuminated the whole cave, showing it to be much less than their cousins had promised. The pool was near the back wall, leaving a very small place to explore.

"Not quite big enough for a dragon," Loki murmured as he looked about. Everything seemed well in place for the little cave. It was almost quaint in its smallness, and it should have put his heart at ease. It would have, if Thor had not called from where he was crouched at the back wall.

"Bring that light this way."

"I'm not a torch-bearer," his brother complained, but did as asked.

The light cascaded down the back wall, showing it not to be as solid as previously assumed. There were cracks in it that, upon closer inspection, appeared to be tightly packed rocks that had fallen some time before. "A cave in blocked this passage," Thor announced.

"Don't fuss with it or you'll cause another."

"Yes, Mother." Thor teased.

Loki shoved his shoulder. "I mean it. That would be the last thing we needed, a ton of rocks coming down on your head."

"And here I thought you'd be the first to say my head would be the only head that could handle it." Thor said with a smile.

Loki had to smile back, at that. "Well, let us not test that theory. We've explored the cave. Can we visit the gypsies now?"

"I wonder how far back it goes." Thor murmured, mostly to himself. He reached out and pulled a large rock away from the cluster. Nothing moved. Before Loki could say anything, Thor yanked another away. Loki held his breath, but the wall stayed.

"That really isn't wise." Loki said.

"That is what you are here for, my dearest brother. You are to be wise. I am to move rocks." Thor said, hefting a larger one away.

"So sayeth the prophecy of fools." Loki muttered.

A rumble sounded far below them, causing Thor to pause in his excavation efforts. It sounded again, the fine tremor running through the ground below their feet.

"All right. That is quite enough. Let's go, gypsies and wine await us." Loki said, turning around.

Thor reached out and grabbed his arm. "Wait. That was too far below to be these rocks. There must be something beneath." His excitement was growing and he began moving rocks again.

"Thor! Don't be a fool! These rocks are holding the ceiling up! If you take them away, who knows what it will do to the cave?"

"Stop worrying so much," Thor snapped back at him, genuinely sounding irritable. He stopped only when one of the sharper rocks bit into his hand, causing him to pull it close and try to staunch the sudden blood flow.

"Are you quite done?" Loki growled.

"No."

"Damn it, Thor." The dark haired prince reached out, trying to grab at the elder's hand and take a look. "Stop being stubborn. Let me see."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I won't know until you let me have a look!"

"Let it alone!" Thor's voice boomed.

The walls began to tremble this time, the rocks before them shuddering under the strain. They no longer had many of their larger brothers to help hold everything steady, and they began to fall out of place. Small pebbles bouncing down the stack quickly turned into full sized rocks and blue eyes met green.

"Perhaps we should go," Thor managed. "You know, before the whole place comes down."

"Splendid idea. Why didn't I think of that?" his brother muttered.

They leapt up together, but the trembling ground sent them sprawling back down. Rocks fell from overhead and landed dangerously close to the princes of Asgard. Loki let out a small cry as one fell and nearly crushed his hand.

Thor was on his feet again and took just enough time to tug his brother up. They raced towards the opening, but the front end came crashing down with one particularly harsh jolt. "Now what?" Loki cried.

The floor pitched beneath them, sending the brothers sprawling away from each other. Loki braced himself against the wall of the cave and shielded his face as bits of the ceiling rained down on him. He tried to see Thor, but in catching himself his spell had been forgotten, plunging the small room into darkness. More rocks fell, and from somewhere to his left he heard Thor hiss with pain.

"Thor!"

"Loki!"

A large chunk of the ceiling came loose and hit the ground with a resounding thud. After, all was silent. Loki could hear his heart pounding against his ribcage and his blood swirling in his ears and the harshness of his breath as he breathed in the dust of crushed rock and stirred up dirt.

"Thor?" he rasped. He brushed debris off his arms and legs, pushing smaller rocks out of the way. He heard an ominous creak before all fell silent again. Loki licked his lips and tasted copper, and when he touched his face and pulled his hand away his fingers were sticky with blood. "Thor!" he called again. He summoned magic back to his fingertips, the orb forming again to generate light.

The cave was in shambles. The whole front end was completely closed off, rocks piled high and, by the looks of them, unyielding. The rest of the small area was littered with fallen debris, but there was only one rock pile he cared about. It was the one that covered a certain blond. He was pinned from the shoulders down, one arm sprawled out to the side and having apparently been spared. His head was lulled back, eyes closed, and he was entirely too quiet for Loki's comfort.

The younger prince darted forward, ankle finding a stray stone in his haste and he tumbled forward with a cry that was not just from the pain. He sprung up with little care and did not drop again until he made it to his brother's side. "Thor?" he called, voice rising in fear. Trembling hands began to remove the rocks and he could feel warm tears building in his eyes. He knew this was a bad idea. He had known it, and yet he had been a - mostly - willing participant in it.

Thor's tunic was ripped and torn, showing deep and shallow gashes alike. He gave a struggling breath as the trickster continued to work to uncover him. "Brother?" Loki's hands stilled momentarily and moved to his elder sibling's face. Long fingers brushed along his cheekbone, and blue eyes fluttered open.

"Loki?"

It was all that Loki could do not to embrace his brother, but instead he sniffled, feeling the tears begin to fall. "I'm so sorry," he managed.

"Don't be... such a baby," Thor half chuckled, shifting his weight and then regretting it immediately. His jest fell short with the horrified expression that crossed the younger god's face.

"It is not so bad, Loki," Thor said, a little breathless.

It was not so bad, no, in Loki's estimation it was somewhere between utterly terrifying and catastrophic. Blood pooled over the rocks Thor had fallen on, one of them the weapon that had torn into his skin. They had each suffered various injuries during their escapades, but Loki had not seen him lose blood like this before.

"No. It's...you'll be fine. I'm sure we can..." Loki swallowed thickly, " I am sure we can dig our way out with a little effort. Maybe you should not move until we can figure out how to go about this." Loki pulled off his outer cloak and pressed it against the largest wound. Thor paled and winced but made no sound.

Loki went to study the collapsed entrance, wondering how he could manipulate his magic to move the rocks without causing another avalanche. It couldn't be terribly deep, the room had not been that big to begin with. If it had been at all extensive they both would have been crushed to death. He decided what he would try and turned, only to find that Thor had not only managed to stand, but had made again to the back wall. Loki barely resisted the urge to shriek in frustration.

"Get away from there! Did the last rock knock out your short term memory? Or are you secretly trying to kill me?" Loki growled.

Thor waved a hand in his direction. "Hush. Your girlish fears will bring down the second slide. Look here, there's an opening into the back of the cave now."

"But we don't know if it will lead out," Loki argued and motioned back to where the opening had been. "We know where that leads."

"Yes, it leads to nowhere. If you hadn't noticed, the rocks are blocking our exit."

"What if we tried to swim under the rocks?"

"They're blocking the exit that way too. Look, they're piled over the top of the water." Thor motioned to where rocks peeked up to the surface.

"That doesn't mean there's not a gap somewhere," Loki urged. "Just... let me try."

Thor sighed, leaning heavily against the wall. His eyes shifted from his brother to the waters in question and the second sigh heaved his broad shoulders up and then let them back down again. "If it doesn't work, we'll try my way."

"Agreed." Loki sat heavily and began peeling off his boots. He winced and thin hands briefly went to his left ankle, checking to see how swollen it was. His frown was brief as he shrugged off his vest, leaving him only in tunic and trousers. "I'll come back up if there's a place to go out."

"I'd hope you'd come back up either way," Thor murmured.

The trickster flashed a grin that almost looked natural and eased himself into the water. It was warm, even in the cave and he felt himself continue to slip. Maybe it was deeper than he realized.

Thor slid to the ground, holding his side and waited for Loki to surface. A minute passed, maybe two and the dark haired prince did not return. He would feel bad later that his first thought was that Loki had gotten out and left him in the cave. He quickly realized that was not the more likely of situations. Fear bloomed brighter and more quickly than the blood from his wounds and he jerked forward into the water. He sucked in a deep breath and let his head slip beneath the water.

It was dark, practically black and he thrust a hand out in front of him. His fingers grazed rocks and moss and he could not understand how the pool became so deep. Thor also realized that if it was this dark he might not be able to find Loki and even if he did, he may not find his way back to the top. His fingers brushed fabric and he closed his fist tightly.

He gave a sharp pull and kicked, ignoring the pain the nearly made him swallow water. He was swimming in the opposite direction than he had found Loki. That made sense, really. If Loki were falling he would go down and they needed to go up. Up towards the surface...

Thor felt his strength waning and he realized how badly he needed air. Loki wasn't fighting him, nor was he swiming with him. The younger prince still felt frighteningly limp in his grasp. Blue eyes turned up, looking for one last bit of hope to swim for. He didn't see it, but it hit him all the same.

They broke the surface suddenly, the room left dark without the spell that had gone dim in the mage's absence. The blond prince lashed out with one hand, reaching for anything that he could find. After several attempts he found a rock and tried to take hold. He slipped, nearly losing his grip on his brother, but the second attempt fared better than the first.

By the way that the ground seemed to slope upward, if his quick look served him at all, they were coming up on the other side of the pond. He wasn't sure how they had managed that, but he didn't care at that point. He pulled Loki after him, knees finally giving way and they collapsed together on damp dirt and rocks.  
"Come on now," Thor rasped, feeling his injuries taking a toll. His breath was coming in short gasps and he had to keep remind himself to take them. They were better than nothing. "Loki?"

His brother was still, head turned towards him with eyes closed. Thor touched his cheek and then rested his fingers against his mouth and nose. No breath touched his skin and he immediately pushed to his knees and brought his first down against Loki's breastbone. "Loki!"

His little brother's body jerked slightly from the force, but there was no change. Thor grabbed his face with one hand, checking for breath again. There was nothing. His own breathing became ragged, the fear of losing his brother and being alone fighting for the forefront of his thoughts. He pushed it away and brought his fist down again.

* * *

TBC

A/N: well of course there's whump... a lot of whump, per the usual. Do I hear any complaints? Didn't think so... :P


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: You can ask Gabrielle Day... I'm not the most patient of people. One of the things I'm really not patient about is crappy systems that like to eat the work I've put into them. Yes ff dot net, I mean you. My apologies to those that had an alert of the update and were disappointed. This is what you were SUPPOSED to see.

* * *

**P****art Two**

"Loki!" The name left his lips as a plea the second time, and not the command of the first.

A third time brought the sound he hoped for as Loki gasped for breath. Thor rolled him on his side as he choked up water and rubbed his back. His panic lessened and he murmured quietly, words or merely sounds he did not know. Loki drew breath once more. Loki would live. That was all that mattered now.

Loki gave a shuddering sound as he gasped. Green eyes fluttered open and he felt his brother's large hand on his thin shoulder. He reached up, shaking still, and grasped a hold of it. His mind raced and tried to remember the last thing that had happened and, eventually, what had brought him to the place he was lying in now. His chest hurt, he was soaked to to bone, and he was cold. Well, chilled, being that he rarely was ever truly cold.

He had been looking for an escape. He swam down and had found it too dark to be able to see the rocks and then they had shifted. Slowly he reached a hand to the back of his head, feeling a bump. He gave a low groan. "Well," he rasped, sitting up very slowly, "that's not our way out."

Thor's fingers found the bump next, gently probing and Loki hissed but did not pull away. The blond god frowned. It was a sizeable lump and the hit would most certainly leave him with a headache soon, if not already. Loki with a headache was never a promising way to spend an afternoon, especially not trapped in a cave. Thor had absently begun stroking the dark locks, instinctively avoiding the injury.

"You could have been killed." He grumbled. I should have gone. This would not have happened to him if I had. Thor sighed. His gaze drifted to the back of the cave and the opening that now awaited. "We shall have to try the back of the cave."

Loki leaned into Thor's hand against his head and scoffed at the suggestion. "Have you gone mad?" his voice was still raspy. "We know not where that goes, if anywhere. We could be trapped forever. Or it could shift again and bury us."

Thor shrugged. "We have no choice."

Loki fell silent, mainly because he know there was no point in arguing. Thor was right, damn him. The way they came was blocked from this side of the cave, possibly for good. They had not the equipment or light to dig out underwater. That left only the back of the cave and whatever had rumbled beneath them. Loki closed his eyes, the dull throbbing in the back of his head starting to spread. He sighed.

"We should go," Thor said softly, shifting to that he could stand. He winced, hand going to one of the deeper wounds that he had almost forgotten about.

The trickster did not miss the movement and with a softly spoken word the orb of light reappeared in his hand, lifting up so that the brothers could see each other. They looked a pair, with blood soaking Thor's tunic from freshly reopened wounds as well as some that were already beginning to dry again. They were both soaked through, hair plastered down against unnatural pallor that seemed to mirror one another.

Loki bit his lip bottom lip, eyes shifting from his brother to the terrible looking opening. "Fine," he murmured softly, feeling as if he were sealing their doom in his agreement.

Thor gave a small smile and they started for the opening. The walls were leaning inward in a precarious fashion, looking very much as if they spoke one wrong word around it they would be buried. The blond did not miss his younger sibling's uneasy glance at the boulders as they shuffled their way through. "I'll protect you, little brother," he said lightly, giving a very light shove.

As Thor took lead, winding down into the darkness below, Loki muttered under his breath, "If you do not kill me first."

If Thor heard him he chose to ignore the comment, and knowing Thor as he did, he knew his brother ignored nothing. He let his shoulders relax. He needed to remain focused on keeping the path as lit as possible, keep the dark thoughts of strangling his brother for getting them into this mess away for now. He could kill Thor when they lived through this labrynth of rock and slime and darkness.

"The next time I ask you if we cannot merely stay in the library for the afternoon, you'll smile and nod and say 'That sounds like a wonderful idea, oh most sensible brother of mine, the wise and benevolent Loki,'" Loki informed Thor's back.

Thor laughed deeply. "As you say, most wise and benevolent one."

"Quite right." Loki grumbled.

After what felt like an eternity, they hit a plateau that opened into a wide room. The floor was like polished glass, and sharp, dark stalagmites hung from the ceiling. "This must be what Aegir's living room looks like." Loki murmured.

"Only his are more likely to fall and spear you in place." Thor agreed, mimicking the posture of a harpooned body.

Loki could not stop himself from smiling a little.

Thor grinned, mood elevated by the positive reaction. After a few more moments of dramatic motions Loki rolled his eyes and swatted at him. "Enough," he grumbled good-naturedly.

"That should be our next grand adventure."

Loki walked past his brother, eyes shifting to look at him as he did so. "Being harpooned into the floor in Aegir's living chambers?"

"Well... getting in, not the harpooned part, naturally."

"I'd venture to say that one wouldn't come without the other." The dark haired god sighed and levitated the light towards the high-vaulted ceiling. The higher it went, the easier it was to see the hanging pieces of rock. They too looked to be made of glass, though much darker. They refracted the light as it cast shapes against the walls, capturing both brothers' interests for a few whole moments.

"What's this?" Thor called out, eyes following the light to something that the smaller prince could not see.

"What's what?" Loki sighed, deciding it was pointless to try to stop the blond as he darted across the room. It was only when he began looking for small niches to fit his hands into and climb upward that fear began to creep back in. "Thor... You're going to hurt yourself. Again."

"I saw something!"

"That's nice. Please come back down. I can't carry you out of here, you know."

"If I fall from here there will be no need to carry me out." Thor said.  
Loki blanched, the thought of Thor falling to the ground making him queasy. "As you wish. I will tell everyone at home you slipped on some dew covered daisys and were stabbed by a passing porcupine."

Thor actually paused. "You would not dare."

Loki looked at him evenly, one eyebrow raised. "No one would find your body to disprove my claims. And I would be so distraught that no one would have the audacity to question me anyway."

Thor started his ascent again. "Sometimes you are downright unnerving, little brother."

Loki watched him climb, his stomach and heart sinking with each foot his brother gained. "Never unnerving enough, it would seem." he said.

Thor reached his destination, hanging precariously by one hand as he reached for the crevice he wanted. Loki wanted to look away or run back up the hall with his fingers in his ears so he would not have to hear the sound of Thor hitting the glassy cave bottom in his magpie pursuit. He could not. It would not be behaviour befitting a prince, for starters, and should Thor actually live through his stupid stunt, he would never let Loki live it down for running away.

"I think I've got it!" Thor cried.

He pulled his hand out with something grasped tightly in it and scuttled back down to solid ground. His blue eyes were wide as he stared at it and Loki couldn't push back the curiousity. He joined Thor in his gazing to find a deep crimson coloured jewel in his hand. It was like none that either had ever seen before, glittering in the dim light as if the whole sun were packed into it. They stood and marveled for a moment before Thor snapped his fingers shut around it. "Well, I've got something to take to Mother."

"I should just like to get out of this all alive."

"Don't be like that. I think it's all gone rather well so far."

"Yes, with the exception of you getting buried under a pile of rocks that tried to rip you to shreds and me nearly drowning... This has been a lovely jaunt. Let's not do it again."

Thor rolled his eyes and tsked. "We've had worse."

"Name a time."

Thor blinked, mind obviously working to pull something. "Plenty of times," he said at last. "Too many to count."

"Then just name one."

"Too many to choose from."

"Uhhuh. I see." Loki started forward again, tired of waiting. No jewel, no matter how pretty, was worth tarrying any longer.

"There're bound to be more, Loki. Don't be sour over it."

"I'm not sour over it," his brother snapped. "I'm sour over my head throbbing. I'm sour over you ignoring the fact that you could have been killed back there and you won't even acknowledge it!"

"What would you have me do? There's no use it worrying over it now, and there's no stopping us from taking a little something to remember this adventure by."

"I think i shall remember it well enough."

"Maybe the gods will smile upon me and the knock on your skull will make you remember to be nicer." Thor said, turning his back to his brother to consider the wall again. Behind him, Loki fumed.

"Nicer?" Loki hissed. "Maybe the gods will smile upon me and let the next knock on my head be my last! It would be better than being dragged hither thither and yon as part of your ridiculous escapades that get us bruised, beaten, chased out of villages, and in trouble with the All Father."

"Maybe the gods will let the next knock be the last. It would spare me be nagged at by this harpie of a woman I keep trying to have adventures with as I keep mistaking her for my brother, a son of Asgard!" Thor snapped. "And we were only chased out of a village once!"

Loki nearly saw red. He picked up a rock and flung it at Thor, who was halfway back up the cave wall. It missed wildly, shattering to the left of Thor's head.

"And you throw like a maiden!" the blond shouted.

"You can just stay up there because if you do not fall and come back down I will finish you myself." Loki growled.

"Oh? With your pebble throwing of doom?" Thor taunted.

Below them, a rumble stirred.

Loki's eyes shifted downward where small pebbles began to dance this way and that, moving with every jolt the ground gave. He watched them with morbid fascination, as if that were all that would be moving. He could feel the tremors growing stronger and he looked up to where his brother continued to climb even higher. "Thor!"

"Oh enough," the blond called back down. He might have noticed the shifting rocks but he paid them little mind as he grabbed up and over a ledge, pulling himself upward. "Loki ! You should see all of this!"

The younger brother gave an irritated huff as he scrambled after the elder, knowing that they would never leave until he did so. Thor was marveling at the gems that made the one he had found earlier look like a child's play thing. They glittered brightly as Loki's orb of light followed, shining so brightly that the trickster had to shield his eyes.

"I told you there had to be a dragon in here," Thor said triumphantly.

"Just because there is a treasure does not automatically mean there is a dragon. It could be thieves or any sort like that."

"So, thieves keep that?"

Green eyes followed to where Thor was pointing, coming to rest on a large egg nestled into the corner. He felt the breath leave his body before he forced it down his throat and into his lungs once more. He had to remain in control. "There are still possibilities," he argued. "There is no dragon this close to ho-"

The trembling of the earth increased, but this time the sound came with it. Both brothers looked down and towards the entrance of the room. She was massive, with her golden scales and horns. Her wings spread out as she gave a loud bellow that shook the ground so hard that both princes found themselves seated very suddenly and staring in awe.

"You were saying?" Thor managed.

"Well damn."

* * *

TBC

A/N: Well, initially we did not plan on having them face a dragon, but Thor wanted it so badly that who were we to deny a prince of Asgard? XD


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hoping that Shakespeare in the Park doesn't get rained out today. We'll let you know if we see Thor and Tony there XD

* * *

**Part Three**

Thor crossed his arms, smug smile crossing his lips. "So...I was right. There is a dragon."

Loki smacked him in the arm, exasperation overtaking him. "Clearly! Clearly you were correct there is a giant , massive dragon in this cave. Congratulations. Instead of drowning or being buried alive, we're going to be eaten by an oversized lizard with enormous teeth."

Thor smiled for a moment longer before a dawning realization caused him to grab Loki's arm. "We need to move."

"You cannot simply keep making obvious statements to be right." Loki said.

Thor rolled his eyes. "We are near her egg. There is no way out up here."

Loki's eyes widened. "Oh. Damn. She'll come to protect it."

"Yes."

The beast roared again and stamped a large foot against the floor, causing the vibrations to run all the way up to the ceiling. The spears of black rock vibrated, the polished stone shimmering with the movement. Loki watched the movement. The stone was so polished, much more so than in other caves and formations he'd seen and studied. It looked more like glass. His eyes fell back to the golden dragon, and her flaring nostrils.

"Why hasn't she looked up here? Perhaps she is looking for another baby?" Thor asked.

"Gods that's all we need." Loki murmured. "Thor, I think those rocks might actually be glass."

"Why would they be glass?" He continued to stare blankly at his brother's less than patient glare.

"Do you ever pay attention during lessons?"

Thor grinned broadly. "I know that whatever I don't remember, you'll be there for."

If they hadn't been staring at a very angry, very protective dragon, Loki might have found the statement endearing. "Fire!" he hissed.

"Oh." Realization set in. "Oh!"

They had moved to the far side of the ledge, looking to move down it as quickly as they could, but they had also moved away from the egg. The dragon reared up at once, eyes blazing and smoke pouring from her nose. She inhaled, and both brothers knew what was coming next.

"Over the side!" Thor yelled, shoving Loki.

The dark haired prince stumbled, unable to take his eyes off of the beast as she readied to burn them beyond recognition. He felt Thor's strong hand around his collar just as the dragon let loose her fiery breath, scorching the wall next to where they had been standing.

They stared in wide eyed fear at the scorched stone, the black edges identifying how the ceiling had come to be. Thor squeezed Loki's arm and started pushing him forward again.

"Go. We have to get by it and through the back."

Loki moved, albeit unwillingly. "So we can be roasted in the back of the cave instead of the front? What if there is not a way out?"

"Then being eaten by the dragon will be a faster death than waiting for starvation or dehydration." Thor said. "Now go."

Loki scrambled over the edge and back towards the ground -back towards the teeth and fire, how is this a good plan?- and sensed the beast shift again when he was halfway there. He froze, fear overtaking his desire to not be clinging to the side of a cave wall.

"Move!" Thor barked. The command was sharp and Loki obeyed. It wasn't until he reached the ground and pressed himself into a crevice that he realized he did not have the attention of the creature as he should for coming so close to it. He turned and saw Thor throwing jewels at it, the brightly colored gems bouncing off its head. Loki's breath caught as the dragon opened its mouth and let out an outraged snarl followed by a cloud of flame larger than the first. It enveloped the small space, and his brother with it. Loki cried out involuntarily.

It all happened so quickly that Loki was sure that he didn't process it until after the fact. He saw Thor jumping to hide behind a rock jutting up towards the side, and if he had had perhaps two or three more seconds on the creature he would have made it and possibly avoided the fire that ripped towards him. As it was, the edge of the fiery burst caught him, causing him to cry out and lose his footing over the side of the ledge.

Instinct was all Loki had to work with, and a few words that he hoped were right. Thor's descent was slown down if not entirely stopped, and the thud that he landed with was much softer than the shattering crash that it would have been otherwise. The trickster was at his side in an instant. "Thor?"

The blond god gave a short groan and shifted, face contorted. He'd ripped open the wound in his side at some point, blood beginning to fall freely again from there and multiple smaller wounds from the fall. The left sleeve of his tunic was burnt beyond repair and the skin was angry red beneath it. He cradled his arm close and hissed in pain at his brother's cool touch.

All at once Loki pulled the god of thunder back, both tumbling and Thor howling out in pain. Flames rushed past the opening of the small alcove they were pushed back into with no good way to move about as the dragon came towards them. The wall next to them was hot to the touch and Loki could feel the sweat pouring off of him, his energy drained from the heat. Suddenly a thought hit him. "That's it."

"What's it?" Thor wheezed, leaned heavily against him and watching the dragon carefully.

"She can't see well because of the light. We thought she was moving funny."

"That little thing?"

"Think about it. If you'd been stuck in a cave for who knows how long with no outside light..."

"Fair point."

"Can you move?"

Thor grit his teeth. "I think so, but we're not getting by there as it stands."

"I've got an idea."

Thor blinked, the room spinning and tilting dangerously. He winced and tried to catch his breath. Digging his fingers into the burn on his arm hurt like death but focused his vision long enough to mentally map out the route they would have to run to get behind the golden creature. It was a shame she was trying to kill them, as she would be wondrous to try and tame. Perhaps they could return when they had a certain way out.

"You will attempt to blind it." Thor said.

"Yes."

"We must be quick," Thor said.

Loki touched his face, seeing the pain and grim determination his brother's eyes. "One shot." he said. It was not a question.

Thor nodded. "One shot." he agreed.

The dragon huffed and shifted. Loki straightened and held his hands in front of him.

The ball of magic lit the entire room, bathing all parts of it. The dragon gave a roar and swung her head around, eyes closed tightly. Thor ran behind him, slower than usual and with a limp that was far too pronounced for his younger brother's liking. But his liking didn't really matter at this point, as the angry mother dragon lashed out, fire exploding between them and sending Thor tumbling for the exit and Loki tumbling back. The smaller prince gasped, feeling his chest contract. Heat. Always the damn heat.

"Loki!"

Thor's voice jolted him back to his feet, ignoring his body's protest as he dashed forward. Everything shifted dangerously as another wall of fire hit just behind him and he stumbled again, the floor burning hot so that he pulled his bare hands back away from it. He tried to stand again but couldn't seem to get his legs to work right. Or his lungs for that matter.

One strong arm wrapped around him, pulling him out of the way. The brothers tumbled through the opening. It was not the large one they had been aiming for, but instead a small crevice that seemed to lead to a tunnel. The dragon raged outside, but Loki and Thor leaned up against each other in their hide away, both breathing heavily and using the other for support.

Loki clutched at Thor's arms, trying to get his breathing under control and waiting for the heat in his chest to die down. Thor tilted his head back against the wall, blood dripping off his fingers and splattering against the ground. He shut his eyes and curled his hands around Loki's wrists.

"We need to move." Thor said.

"We just did." Loki pointed out.

Thor did not have the energy to smile, but he felt lighter inside. It could be the blood loss, he knew, but he pushed that aside. Wearily he turned his head from side to side. Taking on the dragon was not an option. If neither brother had been injured before encountering it, he might dared to have attempted it. It would be a glorious feat, taming a dragon. It wouldn't do, not now. Neither he nor Loki were in good enough condition to take it on.

"It will try to cook us out when it smells we are here. We should go further in."

"Okay." Loki said.

Thor looked at his brother and brought a finger to gently chuff him under the chin. "Do not look so concerned, brother mine. There is always a way." He slipped a little down the wall.

Loki didn't feel convinced as he watched his brother's unsteady movement. His usual boisterousness was much too subdued and the younger prince found himself looking to ways to get Thor out if he were to pass out on him. He had been right when he had told Thor that there would be no carrying him out of the caves. Catching him as he had done with his magic had been done out of sheer desperation, but he was drained of everything at this point. His head ached and he was finding it harder and harder to breathe as the moved forward. He could feel the burning sensation that the fire had left against his sensitive skin.

"Loki?"

The god of mischief stopped his slow movement down the tunnel, startled by his brother's sudden voice in the quiet. Thor looked at him with earnest concern. "Are you well?"

Loki shook his head, resisting the urge to lash out. "Badly timed question, I think," he grumbled instead. His eyes fell to Thor's shoulder and he felt his resolve to be irritable crash around him. "I'm sorry."

"Well, I'd suppose you'd be a little testy after-"

"No. Well, I suppose that too, but... I should have kept us from going in there."

Thor rolled his eyes, a good-natured smile tugging his lips upward. "Loki. Brother. It is not your job to watch after me, but mine to watch after you, little brother." He reached out and took hold of the dark haired prince by the back of the neck in a warm gesture. "Understand?"

"But-"

"No, this is when you're a good little brother and just agree," Thor said playfully and took a step forward. His knee gave out under him and he pitched forward.

"Thor!" He reached out and caught his brother's arm, but Thor was either overwhelmed by the pain or leaned into another of his injuries as his other leg also buckled. Loki eased them both to their knees, Thor's forehead against his shoulders.

"Forgive me, brother. I need just a moment and then I will be ready to continue." Thor said.

The pain in his voice was thick and Loki brought one hand up to cradle the blond head. Thor was strong and brave, and had been since they were children, probably since the day the midwives laid him in his mothers arms. Bold and demanding, he went where he pleased and ordered everyone around as soon as he learned to speak. When he was most frustrated, Frigga would come to him and pet his hair and tell him that Thor had great heart, which was why everyone allowed him to get away with so much. Loki always pointed out that he was the heir of Odin, which didn't hurt. Frigga would smile and tell him that all those possessing great heart were in need of one who possessed great mind, and that Thor was lucky to have such a one in his brother.

All Loki's mind could tell him now was that Thor was more gravely injured than they had dealt with before and they were still trapped in the cave. Loki's mind told him there was a hungry dragon waiting to devour them at one end, and a possible dead end at the other. And Loki's mind told him that his bold, brave brother of great heart had thrown rocks at a giant fire breathing dragon to save his life. His fingers tightened in the gold strands of Thor's hair.

"All will be well," Loki whispered, whether as comfort or as a spell of hope he could not say.

"Of course," Thor breathed.

They leaned on each other for several long moments. The only break of the dreadful quiet was Thor's uneven breathing, the occasional roar from the angry dragon outside, and the low mumblings that tumbled from Loki's lips. He had never been one for healing spells. Illusions and magic that caused all sorts of untold mischief had always been his forte, but he was willing to try. He was willing to try anything.

"Loki?" His brother's thin hand tightened against his neck, the words becoming almost desperate. "Loki?" Thor tried again, reaching up to his brother's shadowed face. Dampness met his skin and he felt the younger prince give a short shudder as he tried to hold back a sob long enough to finish the incantation.

Thor couldn't say that he felt much better physically, but his heart was certainly warmed by the dark haired trickster's attempts. When it became apparent that Loki's spell had done all it could he reached a large hand and tangled it in dark hair, gaining his attention. "Thank you."

Green eyes batted open, concentration temporarily broken. "I can do more," he whispered, voice raspy and desperate sounding.

Thor touched his forehead to Loki's, gently resting there as short gulps of air shook Loki's frame and tears slid down his face. He closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of his brother's head next to his and the feel of the dark hair under his fingertips and as he did he lost focus on the pain in his body. He could still feel the blood sliding down his side and the coppery scent of it filled his nostrils. There was a good chance he may not make it much farther and he knew it. He could make it far enough. He could get his baby brother out of this cave if it was the last thing he did.

"No need. What you have done is more than enough and great help." Thor said softly. He thought perhaps next time when Loki really did want to stay in the library all afternoon, he would agree.

Thor shifted ever so slightly, not enough to pull away from his brother, but enough to test the broken things inside his body. His breath left in a small shudder; it was perhaps the worst he had ever felt. Still, he would do it again.

The end of the tunnel was sudden alight with fire and they both drew back instantly, Thor pulling Loki behind him even though the flames did not reach. They had learned the hard way long ago that Loki did not take long exposure to sun or flame well. Now that the dragon had discovered them, it was sure to pursue by flame or by clawing down the rocks.

"We must move." Thor said, stiffly pulling himself to his feet and reaching a hand down for Loki.

"It can't get this far back," Loki murmured, half as if he were trying to convince himself of the fact.

"Yet. Give her time, she'll get in. Come on."

They shuffled further back, both limping and hobbling their way deeper into the tunnel. Thor stumbled once, nearly taking Loki with him as the younger prince tried to right him. After several moments they stopped, both breathing hard and feeling as if they might collapse.

Loki's face was flushed bright red, the burns showing starkly against him. He gave a worried glance behind as the roars continued, sometimes sounding even closer than before.

"Do you feel that?" Thor asked, eyes darting into the darkness. "There's a change. Fresh air."

"I don't feel it," Loki whispered, leaned heavily against the wall. "Can't we sit a moment?"

"No, we're almost there." Thor urged his brother away from the wall and to continue. He couldn't stop, not now. Not when they were so close. If he were to stop again he worried he might never muster the strength to keep going. If he were to lose consciousness here Loki would never leave his side, he was sure of that. They would both die in some forsaken cave that no one knew about with a dragon biting at their heels that no one believed in.

Each step took more effort than the last, but it began to pay off as warm, fresh air seeped through the rock.

After what seemed like hours, but could only have been minutes, they reached a steep incline and at the top a thin opening into the freedom they so desperately sought. Thor gave Loki a hand up the first few feet until his brother had a handle on where the handholds could be seen. The blond could feel the tiniest of trembles in the ground beneath him, but he could not swear if it was the cave or his exhaustion.

"Keep going," he encouraged gently.

"Why are you not coming?" Loki demanded, pausing in his climb.

"I think we should test these rocks only one prince at a time, brother." Thor said. "Now climb."

Loki continued his ascent while Thor waited below. As he climbed, dread pricked the edges of his mind. The gap at the top was too small for even him to slip through. They would have to move some of the rocks away in order to get out. Working from the top was better than from the bottom, but they still risked causing a rockslide in the process. "You might was well get up here. We are going to have to do more work before we get out of this forsaken hell hole." he called down. Finally at the top, he turned to offer a tired smile to his brother only to find Thor turned back towards the way they came. A new fear joined his thoughts. "Thor?" he called.

The trembling of the ground increased. Thor closed his eyes and breathed in deeply through his nose as his instructors had taught him, letting it out slowly through clenched teeth. He could make it to Loki in twenty seconds, use the rest of his strength to break the rocks away and get Loki out of the cave in fifteen more. The dragon, growing ever closer would be upon them in less than a minute. The rocks giving way to her fury caused the stirring beneath him. She was not roaring now; there was no need. She thought that they had no way of escaping.

Thor half turned, knowing he could not conceal the grim knowledge in his face. When he met Loki's green gaze, he thought suddenly of the first time their mother had let him hold Loki as a baby. She had made him sit in one of the big overstuffed chairs in the bedroom she shared with Odin, all the way to the back of the chair and made him promise he would not try to get up while he was holding his brother. He remembered that, his first promise to be careful with Loki, his first promise to protect the life placed into orbit within his own. It would always be his first promise, and his last.

"Don't you dare!" Loki screamed, voice nearly shrill with panic. "Don't be stupid, Thor! Hurry up!"

"She'll be here before we go. I'll hold her off."

"I'm not leaving you!"

"You are and you will!" Thor snapped, putting as much force as he could behind his voice and it rolled against the walls like thunder in the sky. He turned from his brother, blue eyes focused on the oncoming enemy. He couldn't look at into those hurt eyes or he would lose resolve. Loki knew just what to say to get exactly what he wanted. He always did.

* * *

TBC

A/N: Insert something witty here.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So I went to a costume shop with a friend today and found Loki's helmet. Sadly, it came with a man's sized costume that would never have fit me. I did get a picture with said helmet, and did update my avatar appropriately. Just in case you wanted to take a look.

* * *

**Part Four**

The sound of rocks scattering made him turn back to see his brother shuffling back down the side of the incline. "What are you doing?" he demanded, feeling his own sense of panic.

Loki's jaw was set and he crossed his arms. "I'm not leaving you. You want to fight the damn beast, then fine. We do it together."

Thor wasn't sure if he wanted to kiss him or throw him through the cave opening and into the field beyond. "You are not safe if you stay." he said. He had certainly never planned for anything this dire, or so desperate a feeling to be necessary on this day's journey.

Loki tilted his head, looking up at him with a steady green gaze. "And just what part of me would be safe, brother, if I left to the safety of the open air and heard you killed below?"

Thor cupped the side of his face gently, briefly. "You should join me in combat training more often if you are to become this stubborn, battle determined warrior of the field."

Loki brought up his hand to cover Thor's fingers just a briefly with his own. "You should join me in strategic theory more often if you plan to trap us in a cave with a raging beast ever again."

Their shared laughter was cut short as the hot breath of the dragon filled the tiny space. She filled the entrance they had come through, all teeth and scales and fiery breath. Her eyes found them instantly in the shadows and the stand-off suddenly seemed like a very ill-conceived idea. The air warmed instantly as smoke poured from her mouth and sweat built against both princes' faces as they took an involuntary step backward.

Loki let out a small sound of surprise. "So stupid..."

"This really is not the time," Thor grumbled.

"Not you. Me. Fire. The beast uses fire."

"What did you say about not stating the obvious?"

"We can use ice."

"You'd have to be too close."

"Well, at this point I really don't think a little bit of risk is asking too much. Simply standing here for more than a moment longer will be risk!"

"You'll need a distraction."

"I will." His tone spoke volumes of what he thought of that particular idea, but there was no alternative. Thor would have to act as the distraction if Loki were to get close enough to cast a spell powerful enough to freeze a dragon. He wasn't even sure he had the strength left in him to do so, but they didn't seem to have much of a choice.

"I shall endeavor not to let you down." Thor said, offering his brother a wide smirk. One moment Loki was rolling his eyes and the next Thor had grasped a large rock in his hand and had dashed forward with a battle cry to rival his father's.

The dragon's nostrils flared immediately and her large golden head swung low, teeth snapping together ferociously where Thor had been standing a heartbeat before. She snarled, twisting her body in the narrow space to follow his movements and the sound of his taunts as he danced back and forth to keep her occupied. For a moment Loki stood rooted to the spot, stunned that Thor had actually done so foolish a thing. It was one thing to suggest it as a tactic, even when there was no other way, and quite another to witness the person he cared for most dangling himself as bait before a creature that was not even supposed to exist.

The blond god pulled his arm back to let loose the rock he held and as he threw he slipped and went to one knee with a pained gasp that echoed more loudly than any scream. The dragon knew she had him and unfurled her wings as she reared back for kill.

Loki moved.

Seconds felt like centuries and each footstep felt like the space would never end between he and the beast. His fingers felt cool against the burns, as if the ice were helping the ache that had set into him since their last encounter, and he heard words tumble from his mouth as if someone else were saying them. His masters had always told him that emotion made magic stronger, and he had never found it to be false. In that moment he was sure it must be true as the ground became slick and ice spread all around him and creeping up the walls. It touched the dragon, finally gaining her attention as she snarled too close to his brother for any comfort.

"Hey!" Loki yelled and his hand came to rest on gold scales. The heat against his fingers, burning through the ice was the first thing his mind could process. He felt as if his whole arm were on fire and he bit down the scream that rose in his throat.

He had gained her attention, though, and the dragon swung around, aiming for him. He had to focus. Focus on the cold overtaking the heat. Focus on it snuffing out the flame. Focus on it saving Thor.

She was moving back now, away from the cold and the ice. Her wings beat angrily as she scuttled back to where she had come from. Loki risked a glance at his brother, still knelt on the ground and watching as icy tendrils snaked around the golden creature and she gave a frightened sound and slammed her tale against the wall.

When faced with a dragon, the possibility of once again dying by rockslide had escaped both brothers and both they and the creature stood still for just a moment. She let out a fierce roar and bashed her tail against the wall again which was all the encouragement the rocks needed. The dragon fled, slinking back into the depths of her cave and to her egg.

It seemed as though the very walls were melting as what had been touched by Loki's magic began to shatter and join the pieces tumbling through the air. Thor made it to his feet only to collapse a few feet later and when he coughed blood made it to his lips. Loki was at his side in an instant, hands under his arms to pull him up.

"Come on. We can make it." Loki breathed, forcefully hauling Thor to his feet.

Thor focused all his energy on moving with his brother and did not speak.

"The good news is I think the opening is big enough to get out of now," Loki added, trying not to sound as desperate as he felt.

They moved for it, the ground giving one more heave that sent them stumbling out. Loki threw up a magical barrier that kept the larger rocks from crushing them. He was sure that the only thing giving him the strength to cast anything now as the fear rushing his veins and forcing him into a fight-or-flight mode. He would very much prefer the flight at this point.

The earth finished its convulsions after what seemed like an eternity and the two brothers lay side by side. Loki finally let the shield drop and heard several smaller rocks roll off. His mind spun with thoughts of getting home. Thor wouldn't last out here without help. He had to... had to... He jerked himself up, ignoring the protests his body gave. "Thor?" he gasped out and reached a shaking hand to one broad shoulder. "Thor? We made it. We can go home. Please? I'd very much like to go home." Tears streamed down his cheeks as he leaned down to his brother and found him unresponsive. After everything he couldn't lose him now. Not when they'd won. Not when they could go home. "Please?"

Thor coughed once, his body instinctively trying to sit up or roll out of the way, his mind still in the midst of battle. Loki caught him by the shoulders and supported him when the fight in him vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. Thor slumped against him as he gathered his bearings. He could hear the frantic beat of Loki's heart beneath his ear and he turned his head so he could hear the cadence more clearly. His brother was speaking to him he was sure of it but he could not make out the words. His fingers found the fabric of Loki's shirt and he held on, certain the room would stop spinning at any moment. Loki was stroking his hair, the smooth tones of his voice made the pain not so unbearable. Slowly but surely everything came into focus and he looked up, the first thing he could see his brother's tearstained face.

"Loki," he murmured.

"I am here," Loki answered, brushing dirt off his face and out of his hair.

Thor laughed then, not as loudly or with as much gusto as usual (he decided he would prefer to remain conscious) and poked Loki in the ribs. His brother grumbled.

"What was that for?" Loki murmured.

"You slayed the dragon," Thor said, staring up at him.

"Well, hardly. I scared the dragon away with the equivalent of a snow storm in summer. It was not one of my more impressive attempts."

"Oh, do shut up, Loki," Thor said good naturedly. He hoped he sounded good natured for he meant it with full affection but he hurt so badly even his ears were ringing. He repeated the poke. "You slayed the dragon. That makes you the hero. The white knight. I make an impressive damsel, do I not?"

For once in his life, Loki was rendered speechless. So he made himself content to simply sit a moment, stroking his elder brother's hair. He knew that he had to get up and urge Thor up as well. They had to get home. Yes, they would certainly find themselves at the wrong end of Odin's wrath that day for the escapades, but it was better than either of them bleeding to death in the forest.

It took Loki some time to urge Thor to his feet, and even longer for them to limp their way towards home. The blond leaned heavily on his younger brother, mumbling incoherently here and there about various things that just didn't make sense. The more he went on about it, the more worried Loki became.

They reached a small band of soldiers on patrol just outside of the citadel and found themselves whisked away towards the healing chambers. They tore Loki away from his brother once they reached it, Master Rowen making a quick diagnosis and following after the more injured of the two brothers.

"No! I need to be with him!" Loki cried out, fighting against one of Rowen's many helpers who was trying to lead him to another room.

"Master Rowen will be with him. He needs you here," the young healer encouraged, pulling the exhausted prince away.

Loki might have fought him more, but the elder man held a cloth to his face and he felt his knees go weak before everything went black.

* * *

He woke slowly, blinking lazily and shifting to lay on his side. The pillows were cool and soft and he hugged the closest one to his chest. Green eyes opened and he could see the orange-pink of dawn chasing back the gray of night. Cool fingers brushed against his temple and he jerked a hand up to catch them as a reflex.

"Mother," he said. His throat was dry and he had to swallow before he could speak again. It felt like someone had jammed fur in his ears and his mouth."Please forgive. I did not know you were here."

Frigga smiled. "No, I would not suppose you did." She kissed his hand. "My precious boy, what were you possibly thinking?"

For a terrifying moment, Loki's mind was blank. The last thing he could remember was leaving the palace with Thor early that morning. Thinking of his brother brought back the rest of the trip in a horrific rush. The cave in, the treasure, and the dragon flashed in his mind.

"Where is Thor?" he asked. He tried to sit up and Frigga helped him.

"He is resting, darling."

"But he is all right?" Loki insisted.

"Yes. Rowen was up most of the night, but he says there will be a full soldiers that brought you home said you had been in a cave in the forest. What were you thinking? And how did you both wind up with burns?"

"Does Father know?"

Frigga arched a slender eyebrow.

Loki sighed. "Foolish question."

"Now answer mine, if you please, or I will not keep your Father out of the healing chambers much longer."

"I don't suppose you'll let me rest if I say I'm tired?" His mother's look said she was not to be fooled that day. Loki sighed deeply, his chest aching as he did so. His skin still felt as if it were on fire and his entire body ached from the event. "We had heard there was a dragon," he said slowly, carefully, as if testing each word as he spoke them. He might be able to twist this around for their benefit. Perhaps not with their mother, but certainly Father would find the tale more appealing if they had been after a dragon that could have done harm to Asgard.

"A dragon?" Frigga asked, her tone showing she was skeptical.

"It wasn't far, and we thought we'd just have a look. It went... poorly."

"I can see that. And did you find this dragon?"

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"My dear boy," his mother said as she smoothed back his dark hair, "you have a very creative mind, especially when there is something you would like to hide. I'm sure there is something about a dragon story that fits somewhere into this fiasco, but I question wholeness of this story."

Loki snorted. Little did she know. Sometimes, it seemed, when he chose to use the truth instead of a lie, that was when people assumed he was lying the most.

"I'll fetch your father."

"But there was one!" he called out, feeling desperation creep in on him.

As soon as the door shut his feet hit the floor and he grabbed the dressing gown that had been left on the chair and pulled it around himself. Once in the hall he went the opposite way his mother had gone and kept to the edge of the wall until he found what he hoped was his brother's room. He slipped in and his breath caught. There were signs that it had been where they brought his brother. A pitcher of water and a glass sat on the table next to the bed. Extra bandages and a bowl with murky liquid sat, abandoned on the dresser. Thor was not in the bed.

"She lied to me," Loki breathed. Thor had died and they had decided not to tell him, he thought. His brother was gone.

The thought barely had a foothold in his mind when fingers closed around the top of his arm. Loki gave a shout of surprise and tried to pull away, only to look up into the tired face of Thor.

"I'm glad you are here. We need to get out of here before Father comes. If we can get back to our rooms, they may at least leave us until after dinner." Thor said.

He too had pulled on his robe, but was bare chested beneath save for the bandages wrapped tightly around his ribs. His arms both had bandages as well, and a small one rested above his eye. Bruises littered his skin and one of his eyes was blackened. He was the most beautiful sight Loki had ever laid eyes on, and he flung his arms around Thor, pressing his face into his shoulder.

Thor gave a short cry of pain and his brother pulled back instantly. "I'm sorry!"

The blond grinned, teeth still grit tightly together through it. "I'm happy to see you alive too, little brother."

They turned together to find the door blocked entirely by the imposing form of the Allfather. Both boys shrunk back at the sight of him and Loki was sure that that intense, one-eyed glare rested on him a few seconds longer.

"Where were you two rushing off to so quickly?"

"To find you, of course," Loki lied with what he hoped was a convincing smile.

Odin was not fooled and his younger son seemed to disappear behind his elder brother when he realized it. The king of Asgard looked between them. "You went beyond the borders set up for you."

"We did," Thor answered, as much bravery in his voice as he could muster.

"Why?"

"There was a dragon, Father!"

"So I hear."

"There is!" Loki spoke up, peeking out from his personal guard of a brother. "I didn't believe it either, but we both saw it. How else would we have gotten burns like these? Not from a cave-in."

Odin motioned for both boys to move fully into the room and he shut the door behind him. "Was she very large?"

"She would have taken up too rooms!" Thor said, opening his arms wide and wincing even as he did so.

"And gold?"

"Yes!" the boys said together.

A small, knowing smile perked the very edges of Odin's lips. "If your mother asks," he said in an almost conspiratorial fashion, "I yelled endlessly over this matter."

"Are you not going to yell?" Thor murmured.

Odin laughed, the deep and rich sound filling the room. "Just this once, I shall not. But only this once which I pray you to bear in mind the next time the two of you decide to push the limits I have set for you. And let us save the time of you telling me there will not be a next time." he added when Thor opened his mouth again. Odin sat in the chair near the bed, amusement in his features. "I had often wondered if she had survived."

Thor and Loki exchanged surprised looks.

"You have seen the dragon?" Thor asked at the same time Loki asked, "You believe us?"

Odin nodded, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Did you battle it?" Thor asked.

"Are there more?" Loki asked.

Their father shook his head. "A tale for another time, my sons. Let us leave her, though, shall we? She is not a woman to be trifled with as you have learned."

"But you will tell us, won't you Father?" Loki insisted.

"As long as you promise you will stay out of trouble for at least a month. I know that is the most I can hope for with such adventurous children."

"We promise, Father." Thor said.

Odin's gaze moved past him to his younger son. "Sometimes intent is what matters most."

Loki grasped Thor's sleeve, but remained silent.

Odin sighed, but not heavily. "All right. To bed with the both of you. You both need to rest. I expect you both for dinner and I expect you both to look contrite in front of your mother."

"Yes, Father," they murmured together and Odin left them alone.

Thor sighed and started for the bed. "No such luck as to our own softer beds," he grumbled, climbing in. He wouldn't have to worry about it too much longeras his eyelids were drooping dangerously the closer his head got to the pillow. He noticed, after a moment, that Loki hadn't moved. "Aren't you going to bed?"

"I..." He didn't know what to say. Exhaustion had not been fully dealt with and his mind was moving at a snail's pace compared to his usual quick wit. He just didn't want to wake up to wonder if Thor were alive or dead, not being able to see him. It sounded silly, he knew, but the thought of moving back to his own temporary room bothered him more in action than in theory.

"Don't be such a child about it, Loki," Thor huffed and scooted over. At the hurt look in his little brother's eyes he motioned towards the now-empty spot. "Well come on then. I just meant that you might as well stay instead of looking pathetic and such."

"I don't look pathetic," Loki grumbled as he accepted the invitation.

"Of course you do," Thor laughed and nestled down under the sheets. After a moment he glanced over at his brother and the smile softened. "I'll tell you a secret that you can't tell anyone. Ever."

"Okay?"

"You have to swear."

"I swear."

"You better not be lying."

"I'm not lying!"

Thor chuckled, reaching up to ruffle the younger prince's hair. He laid back , eyes closed. For a moment Loki thought he had fallen asleep again, but he began to speak in a very soft tone that seemed foreign to him. "You want to know why I was up?"

"I thought you were running away from Father."

"No. Well, partially, but no. I was coming to find you." He paused and shifted, one blue eye cracking open to watch Loki's reaction. "I'd had a dream that you had died. I had to make sure it wasn't real."

Loki felt his breath catch. He had always viewed his brother as so much bigger, so much braver than he, that to hear this fear that mirrored his own was strange to him. He sniffed, telling himself that he was too old to simply start crying in the aftermath of this. So instead he turned to his side and curled up, clutching Thor's sleeve. "To make sure I know you're still here," he explained softly.

Thor's hand covered his own. "To make sure."

* * *

END

A/N: And this is what happens when we say that we're wrapping up a series... We continue writing. Working on a new installment now. See you there!


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